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February 13, 2025

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February 13, 2025

Doughnuts become art – Ströck presents creative collaboration with Backsy

Jan Gruber February 13, 2025 06:32

In Austria, doughnuts are an annual treat that around 100 million people cannot miss. The doughnuts from the traditional Ströck bakery have proven to be particularly popular and are now at the centre of the country's culinary culture. However, Ströck is going a step further and is now bringing the classic carnival treat to the art world's canvas: in collaboration with the artist collective Backsy, the doughnut is being staged as a work of art. During carnival time, Backsy has staged Ströck's sweet doughnuts and placed them in an unusual way in the Viennese cityscape. Whether as larger-than-life works of art on house walls or as artistic designs on trams, the doughnut is taking on a new, artistic meaning. In the Viennese art scene, the creative combination of culinary art and art is generating keen interest. Even art historians are now studying the influence of baking on traditional painting. Ströck himself speaks of the long-deserved recognition of the doughnut as an Austrian cultural asset that is now finding its place in the art world. On Shrove Tuesday, March 4, 2025, this creative collaboration will end with a charity auction of Backsy artworks at the Bank Austria Kunstforum Vienna. The proceeds will go to the WE&ME Foundation and will support an important social cause. This means that the carnival will end not only with culinary delights, but also with a charitable contribution.

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Travel trends 2025: Thailand and Japan on the rise, Malta remains popular

Belinda Borg February 13, 2025 06:32

The British people's desire to travel remains unbroken, and current searches for air travel show clear changes in the preferred destinations for 2025. Destinations in Asia in particular are seeing growing demand, while some European countries are losing interest. New data analyses from Reboot Online show which travel destinations are particularly popular and where interest is waning. With 41.664 searches in January 2025, Thailand tops the list of the most popular travel destinations. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 27 percent. The growing popularity of the Southeast Asian country is mainly attributed to the younger generation, who are increasingly looking for exotic and affordable holiday destinations. Particularly popular regions such as Phuket and Koh Samui are recording record numbers of tourists. One reason for the increase could also be the changed work and travel arrangements of many young people. Digital nomads and long-term travelers are increasingly using flexible working models to spend time in Southeast Asia. Low living costs and a well-developed tourist infrastructure are also attractive. Australia: Popular for travel and emigration Australia ranks second on the list with 31.582 searches in January, an increase of six percent compared to the previous year. In addition to classic holiday trips, the desire of many Britons to live and work abroad for a longer period of time plays a major role. The working holiday visa in particular is enjoying increasing popularity. The number of British applications has increased significantly in the last three years, which is reflected in the increased searches. Japan: Record tourism and increasing interest With a 42 percent increase in searches, Japan shows the highest growth rate among the most popular

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Airport association ADV warns of rising personnel costs

Jan Gruber February 13, 2025 05:32

The upcoming collective bargaining negotiations in the public sector are causing unrest in the German aviation industry. The airport association ADV (Association of German Commercial Airports) warns of the possible economic consequences of a high collective agreement for the country's struggling airports. At a time when many airports are still struggling with the financial impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, further wage increases could exceed the limits of many locations. The economic situation of many German airports remains tense. According to the ADV, only six out of 2023 airports were in the black in 23. Passenger numbers have not yet fully recovered from the pandemic-related slump. Measured against pre-crisis levels, air traffic in Germany is currently below 2013 levels. Added to this is the increasing competitive pressure on German locations. Airlines are increasingly switching to alternative airports in neighboring countries due to high regulatory fees and taxes. This makes it more difficult for German airports to offset rising operating costs by charging higher fees to airlines. ADV General Manager Ralph Beisel explains: "The options for offsetting the rapidly rising personnel costs by raising airport fees are limited." Personnel costs are rising massively - airports are coming under pressure The airport association points out that personnel costs have already risen by around 20 percent since the end of the pandemic. A further increase in wages by an average of eleven percent, as demanded by unions, could seriously endanger the economic stability of many locations. "We are experiencing cost increases at almost all levels. So it is not a question of wanting to, but of being able to," emphasizes Beisel. In addition to increased personnel costs, airports are also struggling with higher energy prices, new security requirements and inflation. Without additional sources of income, many airports could

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Air Baltic achieves new records in passenger numbers and load factor in January 2025

Jan Gruber February 13, 2025 05:01

Latvian airline Air Baltic has started 2025 with strong results. In January 2025, the airline carried a total of 327.500 passengers, an increase of 14 percent year-on-year. This represents the highest passenger traffic for January in the airline's history. Flight load factor also increased significantly, reaching 75,4 percent, an increase of 3,6 percentage points year-on-year. Martin Gauss, President and CEO of Air Baltic, expressed satisfaction with the results and stressed that more and more passengers are choosing the airline as their preferred airline. With extensive connectivity in Europe and beyond and the introduction of free high-speed internet from SpaceX Starlink on board, Air Baltic is optimistic about the future. The company continues to expect strong growth in passenger numbers. In the whole of 2024, Air Baltic had already set records with 8,3 million passengers and more than 73.000 flights. The airline has thus exceeded its pre-pandemic figures and established itself as a leading provider in the region.

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Australian government considers takeover of Rex Airlines

Jan Gruber February 13, 2025 04:30

The Australian government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may be facing a significant decision: Acquiring a majority stake in Rex Airlines is being considered as a last resort to save the financially troubled regional airline. If Rex were to cease operations, numerous rural communities in Australia would be largely cut off from air transport connections. Rex Airlines went into insolvency in July 2024 after failing to compete with larger competitors such as Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia on the main routes between Australia's major cities. The introduction of a small fleet of Boeing 787-800s to serve these routes turned out to be a miscalculation. After entering insolvency administration, the jets were disposed of and the airline now has only 58 Saab SF340 turboprops, which mainly serve regional routes. Despite intensive efforts by the insolvency administrators to find a buyer for the company, the first attempt to sell it at the end of 2024 was unsuccessful. The government has now announced that it is working with remaining interested parties on possible support measures to maximize the sale opportunities. If no buyer can be found, a state takeover will be considered. Securing regional connections as a priority The government's main concern is to ensure accessibility to remote regions. Any possible support for the airline by the state will therefore be tied to conditions. A potential buyer would have to guarantee that it will continue to offer an "adequate level of service" to rural and remote communities. The government also stresses that any financial aid must be justified to the taxpayer and that a buyer is expected to provide sound management and responsible company governance. A

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Hamburg Airport celebrates success of the sunflower symbol

Jan Gruber February 13, 2025 04:09

A year ago, Hamburg Airport introduced the sunflower symbol as a symbol for people with invisible disabilities. With success: 1.000 sunflowers have already been given out to passengers free of charge as a lanyard or pin. The symbol helps travelers with disabilities such as epilepsy, Tourette's or depression to express their needs at the airport without being intrusive. An average of five lanyards or pins are distributed every day, which shows how great the demand for support is. The initiative makes it easier for travelers to discreetly signal that they may need more time or support. Helmut Meierdierks, manager of the Hamburg Welcome Center, emphasizes that the high demand surprised the airport team and is pleased that many passengers now wear the symbol regularly. To introduce the symbol, employees at the airport were extensively trained to improve their interactions with passengers wearing the sunflower symbol. The symbol not only contributes to better inclusion, but also promotes mutual understanding at the airport. Travelers can still receive the symbol free of charge at the Hamburg Welcome Center and other counter locations.

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